Play Therapy

Whatever the source of stress, a child needs support in finding a way to get his needs met, in the face of ongoing family issues, and the demands of reality. I would not ask a child to verbalize things he is too young to articulate, and it would be injurious to him for me to put into words issues he is best protected from and that his own defenses are protecting him from.
So, with young children I use ‘play therapy’. The child’s experience is that we are playing. Through the use of storymaking, drawings, doll figures, and games, the child’s approach to life, and conclusions he holds about himself and other, are revealed. I suggest scenarios that might be a better ‘approach’ or that questions a certain ‘conclusion’ by changing moments in the story we are ‘playing’. Play therapy works directly on the subconscious ‘conclusions’ without having to bring them into conversation. Very often however as the child is inspired to try a new ‘approach’ and it works, he does come in and tell me of an event that reflects he got the message and is integrating a new way.